Grace Thoughts
Teaching Notes: On The Secret of Success In Christian Counseling (Part 1)
Teaching Notes are Bible studies we taught before GraceLife Ministries began publishing articles online in 1995. Some were presented as sermons, others as group studies.
Our hope is that these older studies will be a blessing to you in your life and ministry. Please use them in any way God leads you.
These teaching notes are from a sermon about counseling.
[These notes are from a sermon series taught more than 40 years ago.]
Nouthetic Counseling
Turn in your Bibles to Romans 15:14 –
“And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”
The word ‘admonish’ is translated from the Greek word noutheteó and speaks of putting one in mind of something, warning by instruction, counseling, exhorting. Pastors and teachers are instructed and warned by the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 10:11).
The word ‘able’ is from the Greek word dunamai, which means ‘to have power, demonstrate ability.’ We as Christians are to have power in instructing and warning one another. One Christian writer has called this being ‘competent to counsel.’ (Jay Adams)
Turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of Ezra and the 7th chapter. Ezra was a Jewish priest and scribe who lived during the 5th Century B.C. in Babylon. Under various leaders, the Temple in Jerusalem had been rebuilt and the passover once again kept in Jerusalem. Ezra desired to go to Jerusalem to teach (instruct) and counsel (warn) the people of God. King Artaxerxes of Persian sent Ezra to Jerusalem –
“Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel. Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house. And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.” Ezra 7:11-26
Next Time
Revival came to the nation of Israel through the ministry of Ezra. What was his secret of success as a teacher and counselor? Where did Ezra get his phenomenal power with God? We will answer those questions as our special series continues.
[Thank you for reading these teaching notes from more than 40 years ago. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you and your ministry.]
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Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
